Tuscan Lentil Soup

by Natalie

This hearty tuscan lentil soup is packed full of veggies and protein! It’s a breeze to make and can easily feed a crowd!

Hey ???? !! I’m back with another lentil soup recipe. I hope you’re not tired of them yet, I know I’m not. ???? This particular soup is inspired by a really popular Tuscan soup… chances are you’ve probably tried it before (and enjoyed some endless salad and breadsticks with it too). I’m making it *slightly* healthier by adding a few more veggies, ditching the cream and loading it with LENTILS.

If you’ve never cooked with lentils before, I’m here to tell you that you need to! ⭐️???? They’re basically little teeny tiny superfoods ????⭐️ Packed full of protein, fiber and B-vitamins. Just rinse them well in a colander (I used my OXO Rice & Grains Washing Colander which was awesome because I didn’t have to worry about them falling through slits) and toss them into the boiling broth.

While the soup is simmering, you’ll want to get the remaining veggies prepped. Start by slicing the zucchini (I used my OXO Adjustable Hand-Held Mandoline Slicer to get even slices, plus it was super quick) and chopping the cherry tomatoes.

See that awesome little gadget up there? ???? It’s gonna be my new best friend. Just pop the tomatoes in and press. It slices them perfectly! I’m definitely going to be using OXO’s Grape & Tomato Cutter on the regular, not just for tomatoes, but for grapes too- it’s totally going to save this momma some time! ????????????

Anyway, back to the recipe. After the lentils and potatoes have simmered for about 10 minutes, you can toss in the zucchini and tomato and let everything cook for 15 minutes or so. When the lentils are tender, add the spinach and let it wilt. ????

Serve it up piping hot and enjoy with a sprinkle of shaved parmesan cheese!

This soup is definitely going into our regular rotation.I really, really, like that it’s filling, flavorful and packed full of veggies and protein. ???????? Not only did we love it, but our toddler did too! Next time you’re in the mood for something a little different, I hope you’ll give this recipe a try.

This hearty tuscan lentil soup is packed full of veggies and protein! It's a breeze to make and can easily feed a crowd!

Author: Natalie

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 lb. ground Italian sausage (spicy, mild or sweet)

1 yellow onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

¾ tsp. dried oregano

¾ tsp. dried basil

¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

¼ tsp. paprika

¼ tsp. kosher sea salt

½ tsp. ground black pepper

1 bay leaf

8 c. low-sodium chicken broth

2 small russet potatoes, cubed

1 c. dry green lentils

1 c. quartered cherry tomatoes

1 zucchini, thinly sliced

3 c. fresh spinach

Directions

In a large stock pot or Dutch-oven set over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, the add the sausage and cook until browned, about 5 minutes; drain any excess fat.

Stir in the garlic and onion, cook until fragrant. Sprinkle in the oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, paprika, salt and black pepper. Add the bay leaf and then pour in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then add the potatoes and lentils and cook for 10 minutes.

After the 10 minutes, add in the tomatoes and zucchini, continue simmering for 15 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Stir in the spinach and wilt, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately, top with parmesan shavings if desired.

Notes

-I used a combo of sweet and hot Italian sausage so that our toddler would be able to eat it. Feel free to use whatever combo you'd like :)

I cannot begin to explain how much I love this soup! I love lentils but up until now, I was the only one in my family to eat them. I made this soup, prepared to eat it by myself all week (which is totally not a bad thing!) but I was surprised to see that my whole family lives this soup! Lentils, zucchini and all! AND they requested it again since the first time I made it!

Hi Suze, I’m sorry you feel that way, but the ads are necessary for me to offset the significant costs associated with running a site that is free for users. Because of the ads you are seeing (which I really try hard to place in spots that will not be overly distracting) I am also able to stay at home with my two children while contributing to my family’s income. Feel free to use reader view on your device to browse ad-free.

Made this soup tonight. I used Hot turkey sausage. Had some carrots added them. Also added some kale.
A huge success with the family. Will be making this often. I encourage everyone to give this hearty soup a try. A great winter delight.

This has become my favorite “go to” soup! It’s quick and easy to make, and everyone who has tried it absolutely loves it! I’ve made it with mild and hot sausage, and it is delicious either way. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe!

I have made this three times in the last month. Substituted peppers for the zucchini and a can of San Marzano tomatoes slightly broken up. Also used veggie broth and left out the sausage to make it vegan. Always tastes great!

I am at work and found your yummy recipe! I can envision a bag of something small and green in my pantry – hoping it’s lentils but might be split peas. If it’s split peas – would that just be too weird to put in place of the lentils in this soup? Seems like it has an excellent base where multiple substitutions to the contents are fine and it’ll still be delicious. Let me know what you think.

This is absolutely spectacular!!! My lentils needed more time to cook. I would add more tomatoes, and add them and the zucchini later in the cooking time. Easy on the salt, there’s plenty in the Italian sausage! YUUummmmm!